Sullivan {4 months}

Big sister had to sneak in a picture!

Stats: 14lb 10oz (17%) and 25.5in (56%)

Firsts: First time actually enjoying tummy time. First Christmas parade in Pensacola. Played baby Jesus in the Christmas music program at Olive (he did GREAT!!). First time meeting Santa. First trip to Huntsville. Christmas Eve service at Southside. Christmas morning at Gigi and Pappy's house. First Thaxton family photo shoot in Providence. First time being sick... Respiratory virus and ear infection :( First breathing treatments (and hopefully the last). 

Milestones: Consistently going about 8 hours between feedings at night. Yay! Hope this trend continues! He is also sleeping in his own bed at night now. If he gets kinda restless in the early morning, I bring him in our room to the pack and play just so he is closer to soothe back to sleep. He is holding his head up much better during tummy time. He still doesn't enjoy it for long, but he is getting stronger. He can hold his head up easily while sitting up supporting on my lap now. Another milestone Sully hit this month was finding his hands. He loves to chew and suck on them now. 

Food: Sullivan is nursing every 3 hours during the day. He has a longer stretch at the beginning of the night, and gets up around 2 and 5 to eat. He is an easy nurser and usually only takes about 10 minutes. He could start solids now, but I think I am going to wait until 6 months.

Sleep: We have been in a pretty good routine of sleep even with being out of town so much at Christmas. He naps on the go well so we didn't have to slow down and stay home for him to nap when we were out of town. He is still so easy going and is fine with a little or a lot of sleep. He has such a happy temperament most of the time so I hope he stays like that. Like I said, he is still getting up at 2 and 5 to eat but sleeping great in between those times.

Our days: Our days haven't changed much since last month. He still wakes up around 7 or 8. He now goes to bed closer to 8 most nights. I usually feed him while Blake is getting Caroline ready and in bed. Considering we were out of town for 2 weeks, our days haven't had much consistency other than eating and sleeping. Looking forward to getting back into a routine at home.

Favorites: I love watching him interact with Caroline. She can make him smile so easily. He has just started to laugh out loud and that is definitely a favorite too.

Sullivan {3 months}

 Love this smiley boy!

 Sullivan has his first "battle scar" on his forehead... sharp baby fingernails are so hard to cut!

Sully sleeps with this little blue dog

Stats: No official stats this month. He has another check-up at 4 months!

Firsts: First consistent coo-ing (still not a big "talker" though). First trip to Atlanta to meet cousins Mattingly and James. First time playing on his piano mat and really enjoying it. First time staying in the nursery at church. First Thanksgiving. First Black Friday shopping with Mommy. First time to "help" decorate the Christmas tree (big sister Caroline LOVED decorating the tree this year!). 

Milestones: Consistently going about 8 hours between feedings at night. Yay! Hope this trend continues! He is also sleeping in his own bed at night now. If he gets kinda restless in the early morning, I bring him in our room to the pack and play just so he is closer to soothe back to sleep. He is holding his head up much better during tummy time. He still doesn't enjoy it for long, but he is getting stronger. He can hold his head up easily while sitting up supporting on my lap now. Another milestone Sully hit this month was finding his hands. He loves to chew and suck on them now. 

Food: Well I have officially been dairy free (mostly) for a month now and I think it has helped him. He definitely doesn't spit up as much and his skin isn't dry like it was at his last check-up. He is nursing well, and it usually takes him about 10-15 minutes per feeding now to nurse on both sides. He is still nursing every 3 (sometimes 4) hours during the day.

Sleep: He is sleeping well (and in his own crib this past week)! He usually just feeds once a night around 4. He usually wakes up a little before then but is satisfied with his pacifier. Then he goes back to sleep until about 7 or 8. His daytime naps have gotten more consistent and longer recently too. He still sleeps well when we are out and about running errands, so I am very thankful for that.

Our days: We have been more consistent with our daily routines this month. I nurse him when he wakes up between 7 and 8. Then he watches me and Caroline eat breakfast. :) We usually play in Caroline's room until he takes his nap around 9 or 9:30. He sleeps until around 11 when he eats again. He then watches me and Caroline eat lunch. :) Caroline naps after lunch and I get a little alone time with Sully. We usually do tummy time and lots of "talking" until he is ready to take his nap. He usually naps around 12:30 or 1. So they BOTH NAP AT THE SAME TIME... these are glorious days!! Haha! It doesn't always work out, but sometimes it is perfect timing. He eats around 2, naps again after playtime, eats again about 5, naps after playtime (notice a trend here...). He eats again around 8 and in bed when he gets tired after that, normally about 9.

Favorites: I love that he smiles so much when I talk to him now. It is also fun that he can hold his head up while sitting on my lap too. He really enjoys looking around and seeing what is going on. 

Sullivan {2 months}

{Most pitiful bottom lip ever!}

Stats: At his 2 month check-up, Sullivan weighed 11lb 9oz (31%) and was 23in long (48%). He is a healthy growing boy!!

Firsts: First intentional smile (one of mommy's favorite things!). First trip to Auburn (first time to meet lots of family here too). First Halloween (dressed as Superman). First shots :( First time staying with Janny and Colonel when Mommy and Daddy had a date night. This was also his first trip to Mobile. First time napping in your crib (just trying to slowly get him used to his room. He still sleeps in our room at night). First time riding in the double stroller without the carseat. First time going to vote with Mommy. First tummy time (not a fan... he fell asleep instead of holding his head up. Haha!).

Milestones: Smiling in response to us. It brightens my day so much to see his sweet smile! Especially because he always smiles after he spits up. Haha! Going 6-8 hours in between feedings at night- awesome!! Finding his reflection in the mirror above his swing- he always smiles at himself. :) Starting to coo a little bit.

Food: He is still eating well. I think he has been going through a growth spurt this past week. He started eating longer and eating on both sides at each feeding now. So it has taken a big longer to nurse, usually between 20-30 minutes. He started showing reflux signs (screaming after he burps, spitting up a ton) right after he turned 1 month, so we started Zantac when he was 6 weeks old. It seems to help with the screaming, but he is still spitting up. Dr. Mahaffey said he probably has a sensitivity to dairy, so I am going to try cutting dairy out of my diet and see if it helps him.

Sleep: Sleep is going great! He usually goes to bed between 8-9. He then sleeps until about 2 usually. He eats and goes back to sleep. Then he usually eats around 5 and goes back to sleep until about 8. So thankful for good sleep! I am feeling more rested with his longer stretch at the beginning of the night.

Our days: We have been trying to enjoy the cooler temperature outside before it is too cold to play outside. Most days he takes at least one nap in his crib and a couple in his swing or rock and play. I haven't been very good at giving you tummy time, so we will work on that more. Sullivan loves watching Caroline eat breakfast. Then we all get dressed and usually run our errands in the morning. Then we eat lunch and I try to get both kids to nap around 12 or 1. It's amazing how quiet the house gets during this time. Haha! Then we play in the afternoon until Daddy gets home from work. After dinner, we just hang out until big sis goes to bed. I enjoy my quiet moments during Caroline's nap or bedtime when I can just hold Sullivan and enjoy those baby snuggles! :)

Favorites: Smiling on demand is definitely the best thing this month. I love how he smiles SOOO big at Caroline whenever she comes and talks to him. It is just the sweetest thing to see him respond to her. Mommy getting more comfortable and confident going out with 2 kids! They are a handful, but I am getting the hang of it!

Sullivan {1 month}

Stats: No one month check-up. At 2 weeks, Sullivan was 9 pounds and 21.75 inches. Already growing to be a big boy! The next official check-up is at 2 months.

Firsts: Lots of firsts! First photo shoot. First check-up. First smiles (just in your sleep right now). First trip to Walmart (with both kids). First time to go to church. First trip to the Peanut Festival in Jay. 

Milestones: Umbilical cord stump fell off at 11 days old. Starting to go 4 hours in between feedings at the beginning of the night. Too big for newborn size clothes and diapers.

Food: Breastfeeding on demand during the day (usually every 2-3 hours) and about every 3 hours at night. He has started to stretch his first feeding at night to every 4 hours. He is a pretty fast nurser, usually between 15 and 20 minutes, and just likes to eat on one side at each feeding. So glad he is gaining weight already!

Sleep: No schedule or predictability yet. Sullivan likes to sleep in his swing alot during the day. AT night, he sleeps in the bassinet part of his pack and play in our room. He is a much quieter sleeper than Caroline was, so I still sleep well with him right beside our bed for now. He loves to sleep with his paci during the day, but he spits it out when he sleeps at night.

Our days: Sullivan is very easy going so that helps a ton! Our days aren't always the same, but we usually play inside with Caroline during the morning and then outside in the afternoon. Because I am chasing after crazy 2 year old Caroline, I really enjoy snuggling Sullivan while Caroline naps and when she goes to bed. We have just started to go back to church, so that is a big part of our Wednesdays and Sundays. Saturdays are all about football in the fall. Daddy can't wait until Sullivan is big enough to go to a game and love the Auburn Tigers just like him! :)

Favorites: Sullivan loves to sleep on my chest with his head up by my shoulder. I love that he is a snuggly baby so far! He really likes to raise his eyebrows, which makes his forehead all wrinkled... it's so cute! Daddy loves having another boy around the house!

Sullivan James {Birth Day}

I am officially a mommy of TWO kiddos!! Wow! What an incredible blessing! Thank you, Lord, for a safe delivery of Sullivan James. Here is the timeline of his birthday! :)

I had a doctor's appointment at 9 am. Here is a picture we took before heading to the appointment. Caroline is ready to meet her baby brother!

At my appointment, I was 3.5cm dilated (and I had been 1.5 on Tuesday). I was so excited that I had changed!! My doctor asked if I wanted to wait through the weekend and see what happens or if I wanted to be induced that day. I told him I was ready to have this baby so he called labor and delivery to see if they had a room. Thank goodness they did so we walked over, got admitted, and started the process to welcome our baby boy! My parents headed over and Blake's parents got on the road to come too!

The Pitocin was started at 11am. I was having some contractions before this but nothing strong or consistent. The contractions started picking up but I could still talk through them easily. Dr. Lile came and broke my water at 12 (I was 4cm then), and (WOW!) did that change things! Haha! At about 12:30, I decided I wanted my epidural. So I met my best friend Trey (aka, the nurse anesthetist) at 1pm when he gave me my epidural. My parents got to the hospital right at 1, so my dad stayed in the room during the epidural just like he did with Caroline. I guess it's a tradition now! Haha!

This picture is after the epidural... So I was nice and comfy by about 1:30 or 2 and could relax a little. I was 5.5cm at 2pm, and 9cm at 3pm! Whoa! I was so surprised! And excited! And nervous! We were about to meet our baby boy!

At 3:20, I was 10cm and started pushing. Our sweet Sullivan James then made his entrance into the world at exactly 4pm. He started crying, but his cry was more of a little whimper! He stuck out his bottom lip and had his brow all furrowed up. It was so pitiful and so cute at the same time! I started crying and couldn't believe my son was in my arms! I am so thankful for a healthy pregnancy, safe delivery, and beautiful baby boy!! Now here come the pictures...

Here is Caroline meeting Sullivan for the first time. She wanted to touch his face. She kept pointing to his eyes, nose, and mouth.

Here are all of the happy and proud grandparents! Pappy and Gigi got here just in time for Sullivan's arrival! So glad all of our parents could be there!

The next day, Caroline and Sullivan wore their matching shirts I made for them. So cute! Still hard to believe we have TWO kids!

All dressed up and ready to go home!

And so begins the new chapter of life as a family of FOUR! :)

39 Weeks

September 3

1. We are officially in Sullivan's birth month! Now he just needs to pick a day soon! :)

2. Saturday was the first Auburn football game! War eagle! We beat Arkansas... Woo hoo! We had our friends Krista and Brandon over to watch it. Krista is due 5 days after me with her first baby boy! We are so excited to have them close and watch them grow up together! So here is the newest (and maybe last) belly picture! :)

3. I kept joking about going into labor on Labor Day, but that obviously didn't happen. Haha!

4. Sunday, we went to lunch at Panda Express. Here was my fortune.... I wonder how soon "soon" will be. Haha!

5. To make this fortune even better, my mom and dad got Chinese food on Tuesday night. These were their fortunes. Maybe this means Sullivan will be a "smaller package" than Caroline (she weighed 8lb 10oz). 

6. My big belly keeps getting in the way now that it sticks out so much. This was just one moment this week where I was wishing I was holding Sullivan in my arms and not in my belly. Haha! How in the world am I supposed to fit in that tiny space?!

7. My doctor's appointment (on Tuesday) went well. I am finally dilated!! I am 1.5, 70% effaced! and he is still high. I am going to see him again on Friday morning. If I am dilated more, he is going to induce me then! :) I'm trying to not get my hopes up, but it sure would be nice to have a baby on Friday!

8. Blake took me and Caroline to Sweet Frog for some frozen yogurt on Labor Day! It was so yummy!

9. I finally have my hospital bag packed now. I'm not sure why put that off so long but it feels good to have it ready. 

10. We just found out today that Blake's brother is also expecting a boy in January! It is crazy that all of our siblings with kids will have a boy and girl! And now we continue our waiting game for Sullivan to arrive...

38 Weeks

August 27

1. I had a good appointment this week. I still haven't dilated, which made me discouraged at first. But then I realized that I still have 2 whole weeks until my due date so there is plenty of time for something to happen. 

2. I have gained a total of 21 lb now. The next 2 weeks shouldn't add too much so I'm happy with that!

3. This weekend, Caroline stayed with my parents on Friday night. It was fun to have a date night to Mellow Mushroom and just some time to relax and have some quiet time with Blake before all that changes soon!

4. Caroline was not sad to say goodbye to me when I dropped her off. She went to build a bear and made a Hello Kitty and she played at the splash pad... So fun!

5. On Sunday, we went to Navarre after church to have lunch with Grandmother and Grandaddy and spend time with them. They are down here for the week for vacation. We had a good time even though we didn't get in the water. 

6. Blake was out of town the beginning of this week, so of course something had to go wrong. My car battery died, and it took 3 different tries (with 3 different jumper cables) to get it started. Thankful for friends who come to help at the drop of a hat (Thanks, Rachel!) and strangers in the Shane's Rib Shack parking lot who stopped their day to help me. 

7. To add to that bad day, I came home and was going to monogram a hat with Sullivan's name on it. Well... This is how it turned out. :(

8. I am finally getting Sullivan's room finished with decorations and such! Nothing is hung on the wall, so I will wait to take pictures and reveal everything until that is done. This is just one part that will be on the wall above is changing table. 

9. I know I must be huge because so many strangers make comments about how this baby must be coming soon. It is so funny in church when people look at you and smile and then their eyes get wide when they see my belly. Haha! It's like it shocks them to see a pregnant lady. 

10. I am really hoping that my cervix will change this week before my next appointment. I would love to go into labor again without being induced, but we will see what this little man has planned!